Nestlé Purina PetCare to undertake $182M expansion in King William

Purina is county's largest employer

Published June 30, 2021 by Richard Foster

St. Louis-based Nestlé Purina PetCare Co. will invest $182 million to expand its pet care products manufacturing facility in King William County, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday.

The factory expansion, which is scheduled to be completed by late 2023, will include a 138,000-square-foot buildout to increase manufacturing capacity for the company’s Tidy Cat litter products line. The project will also include adding 10,000 square feet of warehouse space. A company spokesperson said that the facility anticipates adding jobs when the expansion is closer to completion, but declined to give specifics.

“Nestlé Purina PetCare has been a vital contributor to King William County’s economy for more than two decades, and this major investment further solidifies its commitment to the community,” said Northam, who met with Nestlé CEO Ulf Mark Schneider at the company’s headquarters in Switzerland during the governor’s European international marketing mission in May. “With multiple operations across Virginia, Nestlé is an important partner to our commonwealth, and we look forward to supporting this global company and household brand in its next chapter of growth.”

Located in Virginia since 1997, Purina is King William County’s largest employer, with 240 employees at the King William plant. The expansion in King William, which is part of the company’s network of 21 existing manufacturing facilities across the United States, is part of a broader growth plan for Purina, which has recently announced new factories in other states. Purina is a division of Nestlé, which has its U.S. headquarters in Arlington and employs 1,000 workers across Virginia.

“The investment in Virginia provides an exciting opportunity to strengthen our operations in King William,” Purina Factory Manager Travis Gumbs said in a statement. “We are committed to delivering the innovative litter solutions cat owners trust, with a continued focus on safety and sustainability in our operations. We are proud to be part of the King William community and look forward to many more opportunities to make a positive impact for pets and people.”

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with King William County to secure the project for Virginia. Governor Northam approved a $2 million Virginia Investment Performance Grant for the project.

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